Another in our series of new transcriptions of contemporary articles on the Leo Frank case.
Atlanta Constitution
August 15th, 1913
Milton Klein, a wholesale lumber dealer, a frequent visitor of Frank’s while he was in the tower, was the last witness of the day. He was cross-examined at length by Solicitor Dorsey, whose object apparently was to show that it was Klein who prevented the detectives confronting Frank with Jim Conley.
The direct examination of Klein by Attorney Arnold was as follows:
“How long have you known Frank?”
“Ever since he came here.”
“Was his character good or bad?”
“It was good.”
“When was the last time you saw Frank?” asked Solicitor Dorsey on cross-examination. “Did you see him last Thanksgiving day?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Where did you see him?”
“At a dance at the orphan’s home. I also saw him in the afternoon about 6 o’clock of that day.”
“What was the dance for?”
“It was for the benefit of the B’nai B’rith. Frank had charge of the arrangements, and I assisted him.”
“How much of your time have you spent with Frank since last Thanksgiving day?”
Good Friend of Frank.
“About three times a week I spent about three hours with him whenever I went to see him.”
“Were you with Frank when the detectives brought Conley to the Tower to confront him?”
“I was there when the detectives came there with Conley.”
“The facts are these—“
Solicitor Dorsey asked the witness a question waereat Attorney Rosser demanded that the witness be allowed to finish his answer.”
Would Not See Anyone.
“Frank would not see anyone. He would not see any of the city detectives unless advised to by his attorneys. They came up there with word that they wanted to see Frank. He was sitting back in the cell, and I went to the front. I told them that Frank did not want to see anyone.”
“Where was Frank?”
“He was in the back of the cell?”
“Where was Conley?”
“Out in front. I told the detectives that Frank did not want to see him.”
“Frank would not see any of the city detectives, would he?”
“No, sir, not without first being advised by his attorneys.”
“He would not even see Harry Scott, his own detective?”
“He would not see anyone without the consent of Mr. Rosser?”
“Can you tell us the date you were there with Frank? Was it before or after Conley said that he had written the notes?”
“I was with Frank the day the newspapers said that Conley had confessed to have written the notes.”
“What was Frank’s deportment?”
“He was cool. He considered Conley in the same light as he considered the detectives.”
“How did Frank appear at that time?”
“He was disappointed because the grand jury had just indicted him. He expected to be cleared?”
“How did you know that Frank expected to be cleared?”
“Because I was there and I saw him and talked to him. I went to the Tower and told Frank that the grand jury indicted him. He said I don’t believe that can be true.”
“How many besides yourself visited Frank in the Tower?”
“A great many.”
“Name some.”
“There were a great many. I made it my business to go there every day. He has a wide circle of friends in the city.”
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